The New Arrival
by Kristin Campbell
Summary: The Order of the Phoenix has found itself a new member; Sirius finds himself a little less alone.


A/N: This begins in the "Order of the Phoenix" but continues into Harry's 6th year in school (the sixth book) unless I decide to make that a sequel- We shall see.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters -besides Zina Praecox (pronounced "ZY- nah PRAY- cox) - and it's my plot, the rest is all the property of JK Rowling.  
  
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"Number 12, Grimmauld Place, London," Zina mumbled quietly to herself as she walked down the street, sorting out directions out loud to remind herself of where to go. She looked up at the street sign "Grimmauld Place," and turned left on to the street. "Number 9, Number 10, 11, 13, hmmm, Number 12 Grimmauld Place. It sounds right." She stood between Numbers 11 and 13 staring at the space in between where another building should have been and repeated the address she was given. "Number 12 Grimmauld Place, London. Unless I-"  
  
Her doubts were interrupted by the rising of a tremendous house, wedged between Numbers 11 and 13.  
  
"Hmmm, Number 12, nice idea."  
  
The house was dirty and decrepit with peeling black paint, but Zina really wasn't sure of what to anticipate so there were no expectations to let down. She wrapped her fingers around the cool silver of the serpent door knocker, pounded two hard beats into the old door, and waited nervously for a reply. She heard the wails of an old woman inside. Though she wasn't sure what she was saying, Zina doubted it was in high spirits and was tempted to turn back.  
  
'No,' her conscience told her 'you were invited here by Dumbledore himself and it's too late to turn back now.'  
  
The door swung open and Zina was facing a tall figure with black greasy hair and a face like he's just been run a few times over a washboard.  
  
"Good evening, Professor," she greeted "I was- uh- invited here by the Headmaster."  
  
"Is that so, Miss Praecox?" Snape drawled, seeming unpleased to hear she had a legitimate purpose for knocking the door and disturbing him. "Dumbledore isn't here at the moment, but we'll send an owl to let him know you've arrived. Meanwhile, you might as well come in before the whole town knows you're here."  
  
Zina stepped inside to be hit with the stench of stale old air. Though she could see people in rooms, wherever she looked, the building seemed as if it had never been lived in.  
  
"Hey look!" a tired- looking man called, "Severus brought a girl home. Not in my mother's house, please. She'd really have a fit, wouldn't she? Despite the tired eyes, the man was extremely handsome. He was older, Zina could tell, maybe somewhere in his mid- to late thirties, with dark eyes and hair, slightly tousled. His face had a few lines, but they didn't seem to be from laughing too much.  
  
"Honestly, Sirius," a stout redhead chided him. Snape merely rolled his eyes and grumbled, obviously not amused by the man's sense of humor.  
  
"Wait!" Zina looked back at the dark haired man, "Sirius? As in Sirius Black?"  
  
"Shhh, yes, I am- unless you're with the Ministry. If so, I'm Nonexistent." He smiled at her.  
  
"Charming, Sirius," Snape replied sarcastically, "but Miss Praecox is one of us now, I believe. She's new."  
  
Zina extended her hand.  
  
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Black. I'm Zina. I guess I'm one of you, if I knew what that was."  
  
"Well, dear, what brings you here then?" the redheaded woman asked, taking Zina's hand in both of hers.  
  
"A letter from Headmaster Dumbledore saying to meet him here. He said he had something to discuss with me; an opportunity of sorts. He said with my experience that I-"  
  
"Experience?"Snape sneered, "Zina, you only left Hogwarts last year; what kinda of experience can you possibly bring to the-"  
  
"Severus," Sirius cut him off sharply, "I don't believe that is your place to judge her experiences. For starters, you didn't live her life and besides, you don't pick who comes in and out. That's Albus' job." He turned to Zina, "now tell me dear, how'd you do on your N.E.W.T.S.?"  
  
"Very well, actually, I got all of them except Divination. I was never any good at that. I guess you just have to have a gift and I don't have it."  
  
"See, Severus? She's a smart girl. Seems like she's got a good head on her shoulders, too."  
  
"I knew she was smart, Sirius," he nearly moaned, loathing being shown up by the man he thought so arrogant, "I just doubt that she has a lot of life experience on her side being fresh out of school."  
  
"I'm sure you'd be surprised," a new voice entered the conversation.  
  
"Headmaster," Zina greeted.  
  
"Please, Zina, you're not in Hogwarts anymore. Call me Albus." The girl nodded in agreement. "I'm sure you're wondering why I called you here. I, along with Severus, Sirius, and Molly here, are part of an organization, quite underground if you hadn't noticed, devoted to destroying Voldemort and ridding ourselves and the world of his followers. Now we, the Order of the Phoenix, know that this won't be easy and has been tried already, by us, during the period before his defeat at the unknowing hands of Harry Potter, but we believe this time we will succeed. And we need your help."  
  
"Mine?" Zina seemed dazed. He was asking her to be peers with the likes of Albus Dumbledore and the infamous Sirius Black.  
  
"Well, yes, Zina, I've seen your skill and I think you would be an excellent addition to the Order. But the final decision is yours? I also must warn you that your life would be in grave danger should you choose this way of life. This isn't a decision to be made lightly. You can take all the time you want to decide, but I'll ask you now: would you care to join forces with the Order of the Phoenix?"  
  
"There's nothing more that I want than to see Voldemort defeated and I would give my life for it. I am more than willing to become of part of the Order."  
  
"You're sure? I don't mean to pressure you into this; it's a very tough commitment," he questioned her again.  
  
"Albus," she still found it tough to say his first name, "I saw my parents die at his hands; I will do all that I can to see he knows the same fate before more children lose what I have lost and have to know what I know."  
  
"That's my girl, Zina; welcome, we'll be meeting in a couple of minutes to announce our new arrival." 


End file.
